Retarding mechanism



H. SLAVI N RETARDING MECHANISM June 14, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 30, 1946 V Q R g INVENTOR. M422) SZAW/V June 14, 1949. H. SLAVIN 2,473,397

I RETARDING MECHANISM Filed April 30, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTOP/VfYS Patented June 14%, 194-9 2,473,397 7 nn'rannrno luncnf "ISM Harry SlaVinJDetroi t,

Application April 30, 1946, Serial Nd. 666,044

This invention relates to retardin mechanisms and particularly to role .;tretarding movement of vehicles, such as automobiles and aircraft.

An important object of this invention is to provide an improved retarding mechanism for slowing down and stopping vehicles in movement which is rugged and efiicient in operation and which in inoperative position forms no obstruction to the passage of the vehicles. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved retarding mechanism including a barrier with which the vehicle engages, and novel means for permitting the barrier to move with the vehicle to lessen the full force of the i: pact and to bring the vehicle gradually to rest. A further object of this invention is to provide novel braking means for retarding the movement of the barrier when so engaged by a vehicle, which is automatically rendered ineffective then the barrier is moved in the opposite direction to its initial starting or operating po-si further object of the invention is to provide novel readily installable unit comprising various operating elements for controlling and regulating the barrier in either direction of its movement, each element of which performs its particular function without interference from the other element of the unit.

More specifically, it an important object of this invention to provide an improved frictional retarding device for slowing vehicles to rest which comprises a brake brake shoes carried by a rotatable men her and novel means for moving the brake shoes into t with the brake drum when rotation of the member occurs in one direction; Another important chiect of this invention to provide a novel application of the retarding mechan-" of his invention to the slowing down and y stopping or aircraft making landings thin limited areas.

In order to the inven ion clearly understood, several embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accor anying drawings for rying out th venticn into practical It is understood if these embe -ents have, for the purpose of expianation, he 'i made the subject of illustration. that imp-rovinents their useful application may he which fall within thoscope of this invention.

,Various other objects, advantages and ineritorious features will her e1 fully apparent from the -.tollov 1. appended claims and accompanying drawings wherein:

,Figure is side elevation of the retarding 11 Claims. (01. 244110) mechanism of the present invention partly broken away in section to illustrate the interior'consanction; I

" 'gure 2 is an end view of the retarding mechanis'm'in operative position partly broken away in section,

Figure 3 is asideelevation of the control mechanism for regulating the movements of the bar- I rie'r; partly broken away to show the interior construction, "'Figure' l is a crosssectional view of the control mechanism along line 4 4 of Fig. 3,

*Figu'reb is a sectional view along line 5-5 of Figiif showing the means for providing movement ofthe barrier; Figure 6 is a detail sectional view along line 6-601?" Fig. 1 "showing'the means for projecting the barrierfto initi'al'operating position,

iFigureV is'a vertical sectional view alon line 1 f1. of Fig. 1 showing the barrier in operating position; and 1 I Figure 8 is perspective view of an aircraft carriershowing' the adaptation of this invention to the retarding of aircraft landing on the flight deck of the carrier.

Figure 9 is a detail view.

In the embodiments of the invention illustrated herein; the invention is applied to they retardation ofmovingroad vehicles and aircraft. It is understood that where the term vehicle is used it is applicable to ,ai'rcraftand other forms of wheeled conveyances. The retarding mechanism is mounted'adjacent to a runway which in the case ofjaland vehicle maybe a. road or highway, and in the case of an airplane, a landing strip or deck. In either instance a barrier is employed which is engaged by the moving vehicle. When applied across the path of travel of a land vehicle the barrier may form relatively large obstruction, and when. appliedacross an aircraft landing strip it maybe a fiexible member'suchas a cable.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the embodiment of the invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as applied to a reader highway near an intersection such as another highway or a railroad crossing or before a bridge; The road is indicated at. Ill. It'maysla'ntupwardly at a slight incline as in Fig. 1, orfextend to a level. When in operativeposition', there extends across the road a barrier member 12 which may be in the form of a heavy metal sheet as shown. Resilient snu'bbers for travel parallel to the roadway. The barrier l2 may be directly connected to the posts l6-l6 or as shown, flexibly connected thereto by the intermediary of short lengths of chain 18.

Each post [6 is guided for movement along either side of the road it! in a direction generally parallel thereto. The guiding means for each post is in the form of a track upon which one or more rollers carried by the posts travel. As shown in Fig. 2, each track maybe an I-b'ar 2!! turned on its side and having part of its'length embedded in a concrete support or abutment 22 which is also shaped to house the other parts of the mechanism. The end of the I-bar forms a top=rail and a bottom rail. Two vertically spaced arms 24 and 26 fixed to the posts carry rollers 28 and 30 respectively which ride on the top and bottom rails.

For further support of the posts l6 a'ndthe barrier l2, each concrete abutment 22 may be provided with a longitudinal extending cavity or channel 32, one of which is shown at the right end of Fig. 2. The channel is generally L-shaped in cross section and the inner end of the I-bar is arranged to be exposed in the upper portion of the channel. The lower arm 26- of -the post is provided with an upwardly bent extension 34 carrying a roller 36 on its upper end. The latter as shown engages the inner end of the bar 20 and rolls therealong as the barrier moves, a The tracks along which. the posts -i6--l6 are guided extend on the same substantially horizontal level for the major portions of their respective lengths. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention in Figs. 1 and 2,..this..level is slightly above the surface of the roadway. ...The

concrete abutments 22 likewise are shownrising above the level of the highway. By providing longer posts 16 it is possible to lower the level-of the tracks and the concrete support so-that thetop portion of the latter is substantially flush with the surface of the road.

The ends of the tracks '20 are correspondingly curved downwardly asindicated at 38 at the right of Fig. 1 and 40 at the left of Fig. 1. The two rollers 28 and 30 of the posts follow the downward curvature of these rails and as evident will swing the posts to a horizontal position at either end of the track. The barrier l2 carried by the posts will likewise take a horizontal position when the posts are moved to either extremity of the tracks. The short lengths of chain [8 will allow the barrier to lie fiat upon the. road surface regardless of whether'the posts lie, slightly above or below the road level in their horizontal positions. In these two positions the barrier forms no obstruction and. vehicles may pass thereover without difiiculty.

The right hand end of Fig. 1 may be considered as the initial operating position of the barrier. Normally *it will lie inoperatively upon the roadway in the plane of the post l6 shown in full lines. To raise the barrier to its initial operating position, there is associated with each track an electric motor 42 (Fig. 7) i Other power or manual control means'may be provided in lieu thereof. 'The motor GZ-is connected to a' cable winding drum 44 having a cable46 attached to athorizontal bar 48. Asshoum at the right of Fig. 1, the bar 48 is guided toan 'arcuate slot'5ll formed in a separate body 52 embedded in the abutment 22 and conforming to the downward curvature of the rail section 38'. The outerend of this bar extends toward the road a'sufiiclent distance to engage the-rear sideof the post-:with" I! bar-rier therewith.-

4 which it is associated. The inner end of the bar within the slot is provided with one or more rollers 54 for frictionless bearing on the base 56 of the slot. At the upper end of the slot 50 a stop in the form of a member 58 is provided for limiting the movement of the bar 48 when it has reached the upper end of the slot. It is evident that upon Winding in the cable 46 on the drum M, the bar 48 will be raised in the slot and carry the'post withwhich it engages to an upright position adjacent the downwardly curved end section 38 of the track. This is the initial operating mposition f th posts and barrier.

A vehicle proceeding along the runway and entering the area between the tracks will strike the barrier-l2 and by virtue of the tracks or rails upon which the posts are guided will carry the To gradually reduce the movement of the vehicle and bring it to rest if the speedof the vehicle is not too high, a compact unitary retarding mechanism is associated with each "track 20. Each of these mechanisms is located preferably in a concealed protected position below the level of the road and under track with which it is associated. Eachretardingmechanism is connected to the barrier through the means of a flexible connection in the form'of a cable 60 partially wound on the cable winding drum 62. On one side of the drum 62 is a "control device for returning the barrier to either its initial operating position or its depressed inoperative position. This control device'is preferably a power operated mechanism in' the 'form ofan electric motor 64 having its drive shaft 66 connected directly to the drum 62, but may for certain installations be a manually controlled'device. On the other side of the winding drum62 is a brake device operable to retard the-rotation of the winding drum when the cable thereof is-unwound therefrom but is incapable of effecting the rotation of the drum when the drum is rotated to wind the cable thereabout.

. .Referring specifically to Figs. 3 and 4, the retarding-device. comprises a fixed brake drum 68 having a rotatable member -10 concentrically mounted-therein. The member 10 is fixed to a shaft-12 journaledin suitable bearings provided in the side wall-supports 14 of the brake drum. The shaft 12 extends toward the cable winding drumandis preferably mounted in axial alignment therewith .but may be disposed oiTset thereto if desired. Operatively coupling the rotatable'member to the cable winding drum is a one-way drive mechanism operating through gearing which rotates the member 10 at a faster rate than the cable winding drum.

"The one-way drive mechanism may be any suitable form of device of this character and is herein shown as a helical spring member 76 int'e'rposed between anouter sleeve I8 and limb 80 forming an extension of the cable winding drum.

One end of the spring is adapted to be engaged spring member abuts.

by a -radial projection 82 on the shaft and the other end is adapted to be engaged by a pin 84 forming a. stop against which the end of the The relation of the projection? and the stop is such that when the cable winding :drum rotates in the direction to unwind the cable-therefrom the end of the spring memberiist engaged by the projection 82 and expanded thereby into frictional engagement with theinner'surface of the sleeve 78. So long as the. sleeve is rotating slower than the hub the spring member will; expand into engagement therewith and frictionally urge it to rotate at the samespeed. However, if the cable winding drum is rotated in the opposite direction to wind the cable therearound, the projection 82 and the stop pin 84 will escape past the ends of the spring member and the rotatablemember I0 within the brake drum is freed from control by the cable winding drum.

As previously mentioned the rotatable member is driven at a faster rate than the cable winding drum. This'is accomplished by suitable reduction gearing between. the sleeve 18 and the shaft I2 of the rotatable member. As shown in Fig. 3 a shaft 86 is arranged parallel spaced relation to the shaft I2 and supported on the one hand by the adjacent side wall 14 ofzthe :brakedrum andon the other hand by a side wall support of the cable windingdrum 62. A pair ofgears 88 and 90 of unequal sizes are freely rotatableon shaft 86. These gears mesh with gears 92 and 94 respectively, the former carried by the sleeve I8 and the latterbeing keyed to the shaft I2 for joint rotation therewith: For support and proper alignment of the parts,.:the shaft 12. is provided Withia reduced end section which enters the hub 80.! The latter as well as the sleeve I8 and the gear: 92 carried'thereby are freely rotatable with respect to the shaft :12 andits extension. It is evident that the-gearing will drive the rotatable member H! ata faster rate of speed than the cable winding drum.

-Novel meansis provided which is automatically operable upon rotation of the member "I0 to resist such rotation and through the gearing connection" to the cable winding drum retard the rotation' ofthe latter. This novel means is relatively ineffective-when the member is rotated slowly but increases ineffectiveness the faster the member-'isrbtated. This means comprises one or more internal expanding brake shoes carried by the member 10. Three such brake shoes are shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention at 86. 1 Each brake shoe is supported for radial: movement bymeans of two sets of roller bearings 98 and I00 whichbear on the transverse and-longitudinal surfaces of the member. In Fig. 3 one set of rollers 98 is shown on the opposite ends of the brake shoes. In-Fig. 4 the second set of rollers I0!) is shown bearing on V- shaped supports I02 forming part of the member 10. All the brake shoes are yieldingly urged to a retracted position out of engagement-with the brake drum bysprings I 06.

. Mounted axiallyon the shaft 'IZ-and rotatable therewith is a longitudinally slidable member Hi8 having a conical portion -I I0 and a reduced end section I I2 entering and slidably fitting a passage in the shaft 12 in which a coiled spring H4 under tension is located. The latter yieldingly urges the member I08 outwardly of the shaft. On the outer projecting end of the member I08 is a centrifugal governor device includingballs [It and pivoted arms II8. As will be understood the balls H6 of the governor will fly out upon rotation'and such-[action will bring down the arms together and urge .the member I08 inwardly against the resistance of the spring I M. Mountedinmadial openings in the shaft 12 area plurality,- -of'..balls- I2Il,- onev corresponding" to each brake shoe; Each: brake shoe is provided with a concave seat for'receiving its: respectiveball, butnormally the balls lie'looselytherein. The balls H6 arelocated at substantially the juncture of the conicaliportion II !l tothe reduced end' section I I2, but-when the member IIlBis forced inwardly by the governor, the conical portion will pushzthes-balls lfl outwardlyinto their respective seats in the brake shoes andfurther pressure will radially expand the brake shoes into engagement with the'brake drum. The faster the member '55 is rotated the more force will be exerted by the governor to press the shoes into engagement with the brake drum.

The retarding mechanism 'hereinabove described is especially adaptable for slowing down and bringing to a rest aircraft making landings within restricted areas. In Figure 8 the invention is'shown applied to an aircraft carrier represented at I22 having a flight deck I24. EX- tendinga'cros's thede'ck are a plurality of longitudinally *"spabed=- cables I26 corresponding in function to the barrier I2 previously described. These babies are adapted to engage suitable hook-likemeans carried by the airplane making the landing onthe deck to arrest its movement after it has landed.

The opposite ends of the cables are secured to posts jj l28 6n opposite sides of the flight deck which "are 'mounted' ior longitudinal movement along deck similarly to posts I6-I6 previously de'scribed; A r'et'arding mechanism of the ohara'ctershown in Figu'res 3 and 4 is operatively coupled withthe posts 528 for gradually bringing the posts'and cables to rest after engagement by an'faircr'aft landing on the deck. In order to interconnect two or more transverse cables with one another so that their retarding effect is added together, longitudinally extending cables I36 may be used. The last mentioned cables are preferably detachably, connected at their opposite ends were transverse cables I25 by snap-hooks I32 of the characterillustrated in Figure 9. By this provision the cables i343 are capable of optional use. and may bequickly connected to or disconnected from the transverse cables.

The posts I28 are shown as extending upwardly around the edges of the flight deck E24. The lower ends of the posts may be bent inwardly for sliding engagement with a track or rail structure of thetype illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. How- .53; ever, the-posts may be guided by rails under the deck and extend upwardly through longitudinal slots opening out on the deck.

,It may be desirable in cold weather areas to use heating devices for melting ice and keeping the: partszin a freely operable condition. Electric heatingr.coils,-for example, may be installed in thebarrier and adjacent to the retarding mechanism therefor. Ice melting chemical compounds may also be used if desired.

. The same barrier E25 guided along tracks be also utilized as a means for accelerating the movement of anairplane when picking up speed for a' take-off from an airfield runway or declr of a ship; the motivating force being derived "either f-romthe winding up of the cables about the" drums, or from the exertion of a force upon the barrir by motorized carriers running along the tracks'of the installation. A device remote H from the barrier and the track may be utiiized to-control' the operation of the barrier and to varyi ss ed 11 In "combination with a runway over which a vehicle is adapt ed to travel, a pair of posts 3 each located on aside of the runway opposite to the other andmou'nted for bodily translational movemenflm upright'position parallel to the runway, "a barrier adapted to be' supported by said pair of 'post's overthe runway for engagemerit 'b'y a vehicle traveling therealong, andmeans for :yieldingly resistingmovement tof the posts inonedirectio'n of. their" movement.

2. In 'combination'with a runway: over. which a vehicle is adaptedito travel, a pair of posts each located on one side of. the runway opposite to the other, a barrier element connected to the posts and extendingitransversely across the runway, meansguiding saidposts for bodily translational travel inra substantially vertical position along separatei paths parallel to the runway, means for causing each post adjacent a corresponding'end of their'respective paths of travel to move from said substantially vertical position to an imperative substantially horizontal-vposition, means for imposing a yielding resistance to the travel of the posts in one direction from an initial starting position, and means for returning the posts totheir initial starting position.

3. In combination with a runway over which vehicles are adapted to travel, a pair of members each located on one side of the runway opposite to the other, a barrier element extending transversely across the runway and having its opposite ends connected to saidpair of members, means guiding said members for bodily translational movement along separate paths parallel to the runway and at a level above the level of the runway so'as to support the barrier element inelevated position above the runway for engagement by a vehicle traveling therealong, means adjacent a corresponding end of the path of travel of each member for causing the member to movedownwardly toward the level of the runway and thereby carry the barrier element to an inoperative position substantially flush withthe level of the runway, and means for-imposing a yielding resistance to the movement of the members in one direction of their bodily translational movement.

4. In combination with a runway over which vehicles are adapted to travel, a pair of members each located on one side of the runway opposite to the other, a barrier element extending transversely across the runway and having its oppositeends connected to said pair of members, means guiding said members for bodily translational movement along separate paths parallel to the runwayand at a level above the level of the runway so as to support the barrier element in-elevatedposition above the runway for engagement by a vehicle traveling therealong, means adjacent a corresponding end of the path of travel of each member for causing the member to move downwardly toward the level of the runway andthereby carry the barrier element to an inoperative position substantially flush with the level of the runway, means for imposing a yielding resistance to the movement of the members in one direction of their elevated bodily translational movement from an initial starting position which resistance automatically increases proportionate to the speed of movement of the members, said last means acting only in said direction of movement and being automatically inoperable upon return movement of the members to their initial starting position, and means for returning the members to their initial starting position.

5. In combination with a runway over which vehicles are adapted to travel, a track extending'alongside of saidrunway: and provided at one end thereof with a downwardly curved section, a barrier adapted to be erected across the runway,meansguidingrsaid barrier along said track for the majorportion of thelengthithereof inoperation projecting position for engagement by a vehicle, said guiding means following the downward'curvat'ure of said end section to carry the barrier therewith to an inoperative position substantially flush with the surface of the: runway, a cable winding drum having a cable thereon connected tosaid barrier, power means operatively coupled to said winding drum to wind in the cable, a rotatable member, a one-way drive mechanism coupling said member to said winding drum and operative when the. cable is unwound from the drum to rotate said member, but when the cable is wound upon the drum to release the member from rotation, and means for frictionally retarding rotation of said member.

6. In combination with a runway over which a vehicle or the lik is adapted to travel, a track. extending alongside of the runway and provided at one end with a downwardly curved section, a barrier adapted to be disposed in the path of travel of a vehicle on the runway, means guiding said barrier along said track and for the majorportion of the track length supporting said barrier inoperative position projected above the surface of the runway for engagement by a vehicle, said guiding means adapted to follow the downward curvature of said track and carry the barrier therewith to an inoperative position substantially flush with the runway, means for raising said barrier to an initial projecting operating position adjacent to said end section of the track, a cable winding drum having a cable thereon attached to said barrier and adapt-' ed upon movement of the barrier along said track away from said end section to unwind from the drum, power means on one side of the drum operatively connected thereto and adapted to rewind the cable thereon and return the barrier to its inoperative position, and retarding mechanism on the other side of the drum, and means operatively connecting said retarding mechanism to the cable winding drum when the cable is unwound therefrom.

7. In combination with a runway over which a vehicle or the like is adapted to travel, atrack extending alongside side of said runway having the major portion of its length on one level and the opposite ends thereof provided with downwardly curved sections, abarrier adapted to be disposed in the path of travel of a vehicle on the runway and means guiding said barrier for movement along said track and for said major portion of the-length of the track supporting the barrier in operative projected'position above the runway for engagement by a vehicle, said guiding means adapted to follow the downward curvature of said end sections of the track and carry the barrier therewith to inoperative positions at either end of the track substantially flush with the surface of the runway.

8. The inventiondescribed in claim 7 characterized by the provision at the opposite'ends of the track for yieldingly cushioning the downward movement of the barrier as it approaches its inoperative flush position with the runway.

9. In combination with a runway over which a vehicle or the like is adapted to travel, a track extending alongside of said runway having the .means guiding said barrier for movement along an initial operative position adjacent to said end of the track, power means operatively coupled to said winding drum and adapted to rotate the drum and wind in the cable to return the barrier from whatever position it may have along the track to said inoperative flush position, a brake drum, a rotatable member concentrically mounted within the brake drum carrying internally expandible brake shoes, a one-way clutch device operatively coupling said cable winding drum to said rotatable member and rotating the latter only when the cable is unwound from the drum, and means for automatically expanding said brake shoes into engagement with said brake drum when said member is rotated at a relatively high speed.

10. In combination with an aircraft landing strip, a pair of members each mounted on one side of the landing strip opposite to the other, a barrier element extending transversely across the landing strip and having its opposite ends connected to said pair of members, track means for guiding each of said members for bodily translational movement along a path parallel to the landing strip and at a level elevated above the level of the landing strip so as to support the barrier element in raised position for engagement by an aircraft making a landing on the strip, means adjacent a corresponding end of the path of travel of each member for causing the member to move downwardly toward the level of the landing strip and thereby carry the barrier element to an inoperative position substantially flush with the level of the landing strip, and means for imposing a yielding resistance to the 10 movement of the members in one direction of their bodily translational movement.

11. In combination with the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, a pair of tracks extending along the opposite sides of the flight deck generally parallel to the direction of travel of aircraft making landings on the flight deck, a member guided in each track and capable of bodily translational movement therealong from one end of the track to the other end thereof, a barrier element extending transversely across the flight deck and having its opposite ends connected to said members, said tracks so constructed that for the major portion of the translational movement the members are movable at a level above the level of the flight deck-so as to support the barrier element in raised position above the flight deck but at the opposite ends of the tracks the members are caused to be moved downwardly toward the track and thereby carry the barrier element from a raised operative position to an inoperative position substantially flush with the flight deck, and means for imposing a yielding resistance to the movement of the members in one direction of their bodily movement from an initial starting position adjacent to one end of the tracks, said last means automatically increasing the resistance directly proportional to the increase in speed of movement of the members along their respective tracks, and means for returning the members to their initial starting position.

HARRY SLAVIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,789,653 Hoyt Jan. 20, 1931 1 ,992,912 La Mater Feb. 26, 1935 2,122,315 Fosty June 28, 1938 2,192,842 Schat Mar. 5, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 287,189 Great Britain Mar. 12, 1928 

